Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) is caring for a group of sea turtle hatchlings that Treasure Island firefighters pulled from a storm drain after bright lights lured the turtles away from the Gulf of Mexico.

Treasure Island Fire Rescue said the hatchlings became disoriented and wandered into the drain. WFLA reported the rescue took place Sept. 15. A firefighter entered the drain to retrieve the turtles, and crews transferred them to CMA, which said it would get the hatchlings home to the Gulf.

Bright Lights Pose Ongoing Threat

The fire department said in a statement that the rescue shows why residents and businesses should keep beaches dark at night and switch to sea turtle-friendly lighting. Bright or misdirected lights can pull hatchlings inland instead of toward the water, the department said.

Clearwater Reports Similar Incidents

The problem stretches beyond Treasure Island. Clearwater Code Compliance has responded during the 2026 nesting season to reports of hatchlings climbing over sand dunes and into parking lots along Clearwater Beach after being drawn to shoreline lights.

Amber Streetlights Target the Problem

Artificial lighting remains a persistent threat across Pinellas County even as infrastructure improves. Duke Energy has converted more than 2,500 coastal streetlights in Florida to amber fixtures, with about 91% of those installations in Pinellas County, the Gabber reported on July 30.

Residential lighting is harder to fix. "We have a lot of residential lighting that's more of the problem now," Carly Oakley, a sea turtle conservation program manager, said in the July 30 Gabber article.

Nest Counts Hit a Recent High

CMA recorded 405 sea turtle nests in 2025, the highest total in years, up from 271 in 2024 and 227 in 2023. The aquarium monitors 21 miles of coastline on Florida's west coast. All five sea turtle species that nest in the region are federally listed as threatened or endangered.

Tips for Protecting Nesting Turtles

Treasure Island advises residents to use long-wavelength amber bulbs, shield exterior lights, draw curtains at night and avoid flashlights or cellphone lights on the beach after dark. Residents with questions about turtle lighting standards can contact the city at [email protected].

Anyone who spots a distressed or stranded sea turtle can call CMA's emergency hotline at 727-441-1790, ext. 1, or the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-3922.

Nesting Season Runs Through October

Sea turtle nesting season runs through Oct. 31. CMA's Protect the Nest program lets residents symbolically adopt an active sea turtle nest and receive a personalized wooden plaque placed at the site.